Pakistani Muslim Cleric Calls for Boycott of US Products

A top Muslim cleric in Pakistan on Tuesday issued a religious edict or fatwa calling for a boycott of US products because of Washington\'s support for

A top Muslim cleric in Pakistan on Tuesday issued a religious edict or fatwa calling for a boycott of US products because of Washington's support for Israel.

"I call on all the Muslims in Pakistan not to buy any US products as it is responsible for the killings of Palestinian brothers by giving all-out support to Israel," said Mufti Shamazai, a leading Sunni scholar who heads the country's biggest Islamic seminary based in Karachi.

The edict has been backed by several other religious parties.

Shamzai is a member of the central committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islami (JUI), which supports Afghanistan's Taliban regime and acts as an unofficial advisor to the Taliban on religious affairs, party leader Mufti Jamil said.

Jamil said the JUI would mobilize sentiment against the United States through sermons at seminaries and mosques during the ongoing Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"The fatwa is now the religious duty of all Muslims in Pakistan to follow," Jamil said.

"It is our religious and moral duty to boycott US products after its continued support to Israel and anti-Muslim policies," Ahmed said.

Hafiz Saeed, head of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant group which is fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir, said Muslims should also boycott Indian movies, which are popular in the country.

"We have been preaching that the US, Israel and India are against Muslims and we should not allow their products to be sold in our country," he said -- KARACHI (AFP)